B
Chicago Bears
A masterclass at the trade table lands the Bears a B.
by Ian's pole ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 5 steals
· 2 reaches
You can fall in love with a player. You are not supposed to marry him in the wrong round. The Bears did exactly that with Mason Reiger in the 99th pick.
The Roush pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch. The trade ledger is the best part of the whole weekend.
Spending an early pick on safety with cornerback, quarterback and other spots open is the decision the grade keeps circling back to. They will regret leaving cornerback for another day if the season turns on it.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but cornerback.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 21 they get the heartbeat of the defense at a price that makes it sweeter. A real need, handled.
A top-tier safety at a bargain, Dillon Thieneman in the 53rd pick, plain and simple. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
The eyebrow-raiser of the weekend. They went safety with Emmanuel McNeil-Warren while clear needs at cornerback, quarterback and other spots sat open.
Mike Washington Jr. at pick 60 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Josiah Trotter in slot 76 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A slide stopped in the 85th overall pick, with Domonique Orange worth more than the price. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Logan Jones at the Round 3 slot is right where the board had him, plain and simple. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A big swing on Mason Reiger at the 99th overall pick, well ahead of any board in the building. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A tight end of that caliber at pick 121 is the definition of value, full stop. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
No drama and no debate, Parker Brailsford went about where he belonged in Round 4, Pick 29. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.